The microplastic pattern in Turkish lakes: sediment and bivalve samples from Çıldır Lake, Almus Dam Lake, and Kartalkaya Dam Lake

Plastic has become one of the most prominent contaminants in recent decades, posing a major environmental threat with critical implications for seafood safety. Thus, we investigated abundance and characterization microplastics (MPs) sediment bivalves from Çıldır Lake, Almus Dam Kartalkaya Lake Turkey. The MPs ranged 19-156 MP kg$^{-1}$ sediments, while 0.75-10.0 individual$^{-1}$ (indiv.$^{-1}$) Anodonta sp., 0.16-1.00 indiv.$^{-1}$ Dreissena polymorpha, 0.50-2.50 Unio damescensis was detected. ATR-FTIR used to identify four distinct polymer types, polyethylene terephthalate being prevalent. Fiber predominated bivalve samples, whereas fragments were often